Quote Originally Posted by DVA View Post
Just fired up the 255 EXT. This is night and day compared to the 250 EXT. Alex and the team really did a good job providing a great welder.

I was able to run some AC and DC GTAW with some AC pulse on 1/4 inch aluminum. Worked great and the initiation of the arc in DC is extremely crisp. The HF start is much cleaner and no violent like the 250 EXT.

I ran some 1/8 inch 7018, this is again night and day performance over the 250 EXT.

I am very pleased with the new welder.
Love to hear that kind of praise, for the new machine. Thanks for the quick feedback.

Quote Originally Posted by jakeru View Post
* There is a 2-conductor "solid state device" of some sort where I expect the spark gap would usually be. (Aside from that the arc starting circuit looks typical tesla coil circuit - no transistor) See picture (white cylindrical thing at right with a lead coming out of each end)
Thanks for the great first impression and all the photos. That looks like a gas discharge tube, (basically an enclosed spark gap) they are used for over voltage protection on many things. Can't wait for your performance review. Pretty short list of build quality issues, that's always a good sign.

I like your philosophy of; "Don't turn it on, take it apart!"